Soza, on Manning Award watch list, wants to be a college coach

UTSA quarterback Eric Soza on Friday made school history as one of 30 players named to the Manning Award preseason watch list.

The 6-foot senior from Beeville is the first player in UTSA football’s three-year history to see his name elevated to a watch list for a national award.

Names leading the 30-man list include Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, Tahj Boyd of Clemson, Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville, all of them pro prospects.

Soza might lack the physical tools of most on the Manning list. But it’s likely that he is at least as cerebral in his approach to the game as any of them.

Last week, he discussed his future and how he wants to try his hand at college coaching. He said UTSA coach Larry Coker is a big reason.

“Before UTSA, I always thought after I was through playing, I’d go to high school, teach math and coach football, basketball, baseball, track — whatever,” he said. “But now that I’m here with coach Coker, and with that name on your resume’, you can do a lot of things.”

Soza graduated with honors in May.

“I started my graduate work this summer,” he said. “Now, the possibility of beging a G.A. (a graduate assistant), at UTSA or at another college, is very high. So maybe I can get my foot in the door that way.

“Being a coach at the college level, that’s a real high possibility now.”

Soza is well aware that two of UTSA’s opponents this year are coached by men who once played quarterback for Coker.

As a young assistant at the college level, Coker had Bill Blankenship for a year at Tulsa and Mike Gundy for four years at Oklahoma State.

Now he’s got Soza, who also has his eye on the coaching profession.

Sitting with Soza last week at Conference USA media day, I couldn’t resist kidding with him. If he becomes a college head coach one day, would he schedule a game against Coker?